


Realize

by Piper_Halliwell1979



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bonus Scene, Castiel & Sam Winchester Friendship, Castiel and Sam are brothers, Coda, First Kiss, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Mary Ships It, Post-Episode: s12e12 Stuck In The Middle (With You), Relationship Advice, Sam Ships It, Season/Series 12, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-09-26 13:26:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9899177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Piper_Halliwell1979/pseuds/Piper_Halliwell1979
Summary: After Cas confesses his love for his family he seeks out brotherly advice from Sam. Mary talks to Dean and encourages him to go after the angel.





	

Sam hugged Cas tight to his body for a few moments longer than usual when they left the barn. He almost lost another brother. “I love you too, Cas,” he told him. He meant it. Even though he knew the first ‘I love you’ was just for Dean, Cas finally confirmed he knew his place in their family. He was a Winchester.

  


When they got back to the bunker he hung back to let Dean do his mother hen thing. Cas was exhausted and offered no resistance to being told he was getting a shower, change of clothes, and a decent rest. Sam was nearly asleep in his own bedroom when he heard a light tapping at his door.

  


“Sam? Are you awake?”

  


“Yeah, Cas. Come on in.” He sat up and turned on the lamp. Cas stumbled over to him and sat on the edge of the bed. “What’s up, man?”

  


“Maybe I shouldn't have said it,” Cas started. “Dean seems...uncomfortable.”

  


“We’ve both been worried about you. Tonight we almost lost you and I gotta tell you it hurt like hell. I had to watch Dean die a hundred times. I watched Adam die. Seeing you like that...it felt the same. I think Dean's in shock.”

  


Cas nodded. “I didn't want you to see that.”

  


Sam pulled the angel in for another hug. He’d been afraid Cas was depressed, suicidal even. He worried every time he’d gone off on his own. It had to be even worse for Dean. At least he worked through his emotions instead of bottling them up.

  


“Did you mean it? That you love him?”

  


Cas pushed Sam away. Yeah, he was a Winchester all right. And that was the biggest problem between him and Dean.

  


“I...we shouldn't be talking about this. I apologize. He’s your brother.”

  


“And so are you, Cas. That's what family is for. You can come to me about anything. Even if it's about Dean.”

  


Cas wrung his hands in his lap. “I think...I think I'm in love with him.” He sighed as if the weight of a boulder was lifted from him. His tired eyes filled with tears. “I’m afraid he’ll never feel the same for me.”

  


“Oh, Cas. I can't speak for him, but if that's really how you feel then you need to tell him that. Even if he doesn't feel the same...you have to take that chance. I mean, what if he does? You deserve to be happy. So does he. If it's not meant to be then at least you get some closure and you can move on, meet Mr. Right.”

  


“I can't imagine myself with anyone else. I also can't imagine Dean being interested in,” he gestured at himself, “a man. Perhaps if I was in a female vessel - “

  


“Cas, don't. Love is love. And I wouldn’t write Dean off about guys. He thinks I don't know but he’s been with men before. He probably thought Dad would beat the crap out of him or some other macho bullshit so he hides it.”

  


Cas looked up at him, a glimmer of hope in a stormy sea of blue. “I was unaware of this. I know Dean flirts to get information. I considered it part of the job.”

  


Sam smiled. “Yeah, he flirts with everybody, even you sometimes. I’ve kind of been hoping you guys would wind up together. You're already like an old married couple. I’ve seen you have entire conversations without saying a word. You bicker over little things...but you know how each other takes his coffee. You seem to always know when the other is around without looking. You’ve been through stuff that tears other people apart and somehow come out closer.”

  


Cas absorbed all this information. “You would approve? If Dean and I were in a romantic relationship?”

  


“Of course I would. I love you both, you know that.”

  


Cas stood. “Thank you. Sam. I may have to, as you say, sleep on it. I feel better for speaking with you.” He went for the door then turned. “I’m glad you are my brother. I don't know what I would do without you.”

  


“Same here, Cas. Goodnight.”

  


“Goodnight, Sam.”

  


***

  


Mary reluctantly came back to the bunker for the night. She needed to distance herself but she also couldn't leave her boys after going through something so traumatic. She poured herself a tumbler full of bourbon and waited in the war room until Dean had finished tending to Castiel.

  


He grabbed the bottle in front of her and poured himself a generous amount of the amber liquid. He sat in tense silence as she just stared him down. “What?” 

  


“You're an idiot.”

  


“What?” He repeated.

  


“He told you he loved you and you didn't say it back.”

  


_ Oh that.  _ “He said he loved all of us.”

  


Mary rolled her eyes. “ _ After _ he told you first. He was dying, Dean. You were going to let him go without saying it back? Were you embarrassed? Did you think I wouldn't approve?”

  


Dean gulped down the rest of his drink. He poured another. He did not want to have this conversation with her or anyone else. “It’s not like that. Cas is our brother, okay? We're family.”

  


Mary scoffed at him. “That’s sure as hell not how I saw it. I’m a hunter, Dean. I read people like a storefront psychic. From the moment I met him I knew he was in love with you. And you love him, too. You look at him like John used to look at me.”

  


Dean just looked down and set his jaw. They were so much alike, him and Mary. He could usually out-stubborn his brother but she was probably going to outlast him and it would only prolong the inevitable. “You’re not going to drop this, are you?”

  


“Nope,” she replied. “You can't  _ not _ say something to him. He poured his heart out to you, to us. He’s scared and vulnerable. He didn't think he’d live to deal with the consequences of saying it. But…”

  


Dean broke. “How am I supposed to deal with that? He’s my best friend! I never thought he’d see me that way.” He pushed his drink away, the taste now bitter on his tongue. “Loving me doesn't end well.”

  


Mary reached across the table for his hand. “Oh honey, that's the risk we all take. Look at me and your father. Obviously that ended tragically but I wouldn't trade my time with him or you boys for anything. If there's even the slightest chance you have to take it.”

  


Dean rubbed his tired face. “I don’t know, Mom. I tried the apple pie life. It didn't feel right.”

  


“Maybe it's because you were meant to be with someone else.” Mary got up and came around to his side to wrap her arms around his shoulders. “Do you love him?”

  


“Of course I do.”

  


“Then tell him that. Tell him you want what he wants.”

  


“Yeah, well, maybe I'll sleep on it.”

  


“You do that.”

  


***

  


Dean paused in front of Cas’ door.  He wanted to check on him but he knew he needed rest. He thought he heard soft music playing so he pressed his ear to the door.

  
  
_ Take time to realize _ __   
_ That your warmth is _ __   
_ Crashing down on me _ __   
_ Take time to realize _ __   
_ That I am on your side _ __   
_ Didn't I, didn't I tell you? _ __   
_ But I can't spell it out for you _ __   
_ No, it's never gonna be that simple _ __   
_ No, I can't spell it out for you _ __   
_ If you just realize what I just realized _ __   
_ Then we'd be perfect for each other and we'd never find another _ __   
_ Just realize what I just realized _ __   
_ We'd never have to wonder if we missed out on each other, now _ __   
_ Take time to realize _ __   
_ Oh, oh, I'm on your side _ __   
_ Didn't I, didn't I tell you? _ __   
_ Take time to realize _ __   
_ This all could pass you by _ __   
_ Didn't I tell you? _ __   
_ But I can't spell it out for you _ __   
_ No, it's never gonna be that simple _ __   
_ No, I can't spell it out for you _ __   
_ If you just realize what I just realized _ __   
_ Then we'd be perfect for each other and we'll never find another _ __   
_ Just realize what I just realized _ __   
_ We'd never have to wonder if we missed out on each other, but _ __   
_ It's not the same _ __   
_ No, it's never the same _ __   
_ If you don't feel it, too _ __   
_ If you meet me half way _ __   
_ If you would meet me half way _ __   
_ It could be the same for you _ __   
_ If you just realize what I just realized _ __   
_ Then we'd be perfect for each other and we'll never find another _ __   
_ Just realize what I just realized _ __   
_ We'd never have to wonder _ __   
_ Just realize what I just realized _ __   
_ If you just realize what I just realized _ __   
_ Missed out on each other now _ __   
_ Missed out on each other now _ __   
  


It was perfect. With tears in his eyes he entered the room. Cas sat up with a start and turned off his ipod on the dock. He was under the covers and he looked like he’d been crying. “What do you want, Dean?”

  


“You. I want you, Cas. I was gonna sleep on it but I heard the song. I’m gonna meet you halfway, okay? Just...play it again. Please?” He reached for Cas’ hand and pulled him to his feet. Cas thumbed over the device and the slow song started over.

  


Dean took Cas in his arms and gently swayed them together by the bed. He pressed their cheeks together. “I should have realized so much sooner. I’m so sorry, Cas. I almost missed out on you.”

  


“I shouldn't have waited to tell you how I feel.”

  


Dean shushed him. “Just think of it as finally finding the right moment.” He chuckled. “We have a song, Cas. Can you believe it?”

  


“Not at all how I expected this day to go.”

“Me, either, Sunshine.” He held on until the song finished. “Hey, can I...can I kiss you?”

  


“Please,” Cas said barely above a whisper. He voice cracked. He swallowed hard and looked into Dean's eyes. He felt a warm hand on his cheek then soft lips pressed to his. It was tender and sweet. Short pecks exchanged until Dean rested their foreheads together. “Are we…?”

  


“Yeah. We are.”

  


“Still want to sleep on it?”

  


“Okay.”

  


Dean pulled back the covers and settled on the opposite side Cas had been laying on. Cas joined him and backed up against him. Dean's arm went around his waist. He fell into an easy sleep with Cas not far behind.

  


**Author's Note:**

> The song is Realize by Colbie Callait. It's mine and my husband's song and we even have the word Realize tattooed.


End file.
